Epic Games offers a native Linux version of the Epic Games Launcher as an x86-64 AppImage in public Preview. That gives Linux users access to Epic’s launcher, but it does not make every Windows game compatible: Epic says many games may need a compatibility layer, software that helps Windows games run on Linux, and recommends checking compatibility title by title. The company announced the redesigned Preview on October 14, 2026, in its launch announcement. NeoTeo covered the broader redesign in its earlier report.
What Epic’s Linux Preview supports
Epic distributes the native Linux client as an x86-64 AppImage. Its official support list names Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or newer, Fedora 43 or newer, and Debian 12 or newer. Other distributions may work, but Epic does not officially test or support them. The company lists these minimum system requirements: a 64-bit x86-64 dual-core processor running at 2 GHz or faster, 4 GB of RAM, and 2 GB of available storage. Its Linux launcher page also says internet access is required for setup and online features; offline mode is available for supported installed games.
The distribution list is about running the launcher, not a guarantee that every game in the library will run. Epic says many games are Windows-only and may require a compatibility layer, so a working launcher and a playable game are two separate questions.
Your library carries over, with some Preview gaps
Epic says purchases, installed games, cloud saves, and progress carry over to the Preview. It also says switching between the Preview and the legacy launcher should not affect that data. That gives existing account holders a way to try the new client without starting a separate library.
The Preview does not yet include every legacy feature: Epic says some social and account-management features are still unavailable. If you rely on those options, the new client may not yet cover everything you use in the older launcher.
One early test found significant problems
In its first-hand test on openSUSE Tumbleweed, MuyLinux reported an interrupted login, interface instability, a certificate error that blocked access to the store, missing cover art for most games in the library, and controllers that the launcher did not recognize. Crashes also prevented the tester from trying several titles. Those are findings from MuyLinux’s test on that distribution, not a result to assume for every Linux setup. MuyLinux’s account describes the reported problems.
Fortnite depends on a separate anti-cheat plan
The Linux launcher Preview does not make Fortnite playable on Linux. Epic described Fortnite support as a future plan, conditional on Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2 working with a critical mass of distribution maintainers. Epic also says it plans to pilot EAC Linux v2 in Fortnite, validate it, and then make the system available to other developers. The company’s October 14 announcement sets out the condition for Fortnite, while its technical explanation of EAC Linux v2 describes the anti-cheat system.
Epic says EAC Linux v2 uses existing Linux security features, eBPF logic, and a systemd service; it does not install or load an anti-cheat kernel module. The service starts when a protected game starts and stops when that game exits. Epic lists these requirements for the EAC-protected game path—not for installing the launcher:
- Signed kernels and kernel modules using recognized keys
- TPM 2.0 enabled in the BIOS
- Secure Boot enabled with recognized keys, and measured boot
- IOMMU enabled on non-handheld devices
- Kernel lockdown integrity mode
kexecdisabled- An active BPF Linux Security Module (BPF LSM)
Epic says Steam Deck does not currently support the features its EAC Linux v2 approach requires, and that discussions with Valve about possible future support are ongoing.
